Robert Redford: Shutdown Caused by 'Fear', 'Racism' of President Obama

The U.S. Capitol looms in the background of a sign on the National Mall reminding visitors of the closures to all national parks due to the federal government shutdown in Washington October 3, 2013. The U.S. government shutdown prompted growing concern of wider economic consequences when it stretched into a third day on Thursday, and President Barack Obama challenged Republicans to "end this farce" by calling a straight vote on a spending bill.

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Robert Redford waded into the conversation regarding the recently ended government shutdown by insisting too many people are afraid of change, which is impeding the development of the country.

During an interview with CNN to promote his new movie "All Is Lost" that will open in U.S. theaters next week, stated that fear, racism and total opposition to President Obama were behind the current state of political dysfunction.

"I was trying to figure out, why are these people behaving so stupidly? Why are they behaving so horribly that it's crippling our whole country?" Redford told CNN.

"I think it has to do with fear. I think it's a group of people that are so afraid of change, and they're so narrow-minded that some people -- when they see change coming -- get so threatened by change, they get angry and they get terrorized, and then they get vicious."

Redford, a vocal activist, has never been known to keep his thoughts to himself and added that politicians would rather stifle their own agenda in order to obstruct the president's.

"There is a body of congressional people that wants to paralyze the system. I think what sits underneath it, unfortunately, is there's probably some racism involved, which is really awful. ... I think just the idea of giving credit to this President, giving him credit for anything, is abhorrent to them, so they'll go against it."

But it is not just political matters which the artist feels strongly about. During his speech at the Sundance Film Festival last year Redford criticized politicians who endorsed studios that promoted conservative principals.

"For years and years and years, you've all experienced what we had to live with, the fact that other countries are far more supportive of their artists than we are," said Redford. "When you have congressional narrow-minded people, people who are afraid of change when change is the only thing that succeeds, the only thing we know is going to happen is that things are going to change."